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May 28, 2009

During the annual campaign celebrating World Spay Day, on Tuesday February 24, 2009, the Amazon CARES NGO offered 12 families an opportunity to sterilize their pet at no charge.

People arrived en masse to the clinic at Pevas to take advantage of this offer, but only 12 were able to take advantage of this opportunity. It is worth mentioning that this surgery takes some time (especially for females), as well as the cost for drugs and materials like strings, syringes, vitamins, anesthetics, etc, and these costs were completely covered by the NGO.

Doctors Esther and Miguel, together with an assistant and two volunteers, treated the seven cats and five dogs carefully during the day. Their owners were able to pick them up at the end of the day, after receiving some post-surgery advice as well as some packages of balanced food supplied by Pedigree. Then, the owners cheerfully agreed to have a picture taken to record this day, with their pet in their arms.

The NGO wants to thank everybody who came to register their pets and make this day a symbol of how pet owners should act responsibly, and contribute the fight against the uncontrolled and exponential growth of the animal population. The common message is that are many undesired pets destined to live and die on the streets. Amazon Cares attended two TV programs during the day to talk about animal sterilization, explaining its beneficial role for the pet's health and to fight animal overpopulation, therefore contributing more to the education about responsible pet ownership.

During the 5 years that this NGO has been working in Iquitos, Peru in the control of canine overpopulation, people understand and accept more every day the importance of sterilizing their pet. CARES apologizes to those who could not participate, but plans many future events which will be well publicized through local TV, La Región newspaper and other media. Special thanks to Pedigree Iquitos for their support with free food for the sterilized pets.

Cats Neutered: Raymond, León, Bruno

Cats Spayed: Tita, Renata, Michilina

Dogs Neutered: Curi, Beethoven, Boby

Dogs Spayed: Maya, Pelusa, Duquesa

Thank you to volunteer Delia Cobos for translating this article from Spanish.

May 20, 2009

Wishtin, is a street dog. He is about 1.5 years old. His owners abandoned him on the Iquitos Boulevard one year ago, because he was very ill. Since being abandoned, Wishtin walked the streets searching for food and shelter from the frequent rain and extreme heat of Iquitos.

Because of Wishtin’s illness, people feared becoming infected. According to street vendors and children working near the Boulevard, many people abused Wishtin.

A kind woman, Pamela, encountered Wishtin. After a year of extreme hardship, Wishtin had finally encountered a friend that extended a hand and offered him food and shelter. Pamela is captivated by this helpless creature who has been living on the streets a long time. Despite his suffering, Wishtin is kind and loving, a demonstration of the unconditional love that dogs offer to human beings.

That is how Wishtin came to Amazon Community Animal Rescue, Education & Safety. Following several laboratory tests, he was diagnosed with chronic malnutrition, internal parasites, external parasites (follicular mange or red mange). These conditions reduce Wishtin’s immunity system, which causes a high genetic predisposition to develop scabies.

Treatment for Wishtin will last at least 3 months. During the first three weeks, Wishtin must remain in the clinic so Veterinarian Esther Peña can oversee a strict medication and diet regimen.

We were very concerned about finding a home for Wishtin. He needs to be re-integrated into society with a family that wants him and will respect him and provide him with security. All living beings deserve these things. Veterinarian Peña soon found a place where Wishtin could live. A young animal lover wants to have a companion. Pamela and this young man both visit Wishtin daily. They take him out for walks that Wishtin enjoys very much.

Pamela has thought long and hard about Wishtin. She decided that despite being a tourist in Iquitos, she would take Wishtin to live in her country within a few months when he is completely recuperated. At that time, he will depart Iquitos to go live with his “forever family.” The young man will foster Wishtin in the meantime.

Translated from Spanish by Molly Mednikow. Originally posted on our Spanish forum by Veterianarian Esther Peña.

May 10, 2009

The situation is worse every day. The overflow of the river has gotten to its record, and the flood is disrupting the city for several weeks now.

Many of the people are desperate, their houses are flooded up to 3 meters high, and in addition, the population of mosquitos is increasing, and this is bad for humans health. The bridges that connects the population to the city are not secure, a frustration that parents have to live with every day, when their kids are off to school every morning.

This situation is bad for the people, but lets not forget the animals, who cannot speak and ask help from the authorities. The animals that are under our care are also in danger. The shelter is located at the margin of the Itaya Margin, for us to get to the shelter; we have 2 possibilities: by water or land; but by land almost everything is flooded, the team of Amazon Cares has to put all of our energy everyday to bring food and love to all the dogs (30) that are waiting in the shelter to be adopted.

We have already spread the word around Iquitos:

Help us by adopting a dog, or at least help us re-locate them until everything returns to normal.